Door lock



May 26, 1964 F. G. HEIMANN 3,134,618

DOOR LOCK Filed April 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 7764 #02772" 47:71.

May 26, 1964 F. G; HEIMANN 3,134,618

DOOR LOCK I Filed April 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTORL United States Patent 3,134,618 DOOR LOCK Fred 'G. Heimann, Mount Clemens, Mich., assignor to Fruehauf' Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Apr. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 185,429 2 Claims.. (Cl. 292240) This invention relates generally to door locks and more particularly to an improved anti rack door lock for van-type highway vehicles andthe like.

The doors and door frames. of van-type vehicles are generally utilized to insure the structural integrity of the van upon transverse loading. The forces to which the doors and door frame are subjected are known in the art as racking forces and tend to move the doors vertically relative to one another and to the door frame. Thus, the locks for the doors of such vehicles must be of relatively strong construction in order to positively retain the doors properly closed within-their door frames.

Door locks heretofore known and used characteristically transfer racking forces from the door panels to the door frame through the closing and locking elements of the lock and thence through the connecting bars extending between aligned ones of the. lock. However, subjection of the locking elements and connecting'bars of the lock to such racking forces results in premature wear and flexure thereof, ultimately reducing the effectiveness of the locking elements and connecting bars in closing and locking the door and thus, the ability of the door to impart structural rigidity tothe van of the vehicle. Further, tolerance and operating'clearance requirements inherent in the locking elements and connecting bars to implement operation thereof tend to reduce the abilityofthe lock to transfer racking forces to. the door frame.

A door lock in accordance with the instant invention imparts the inherent lateral. rigidity of the door panels to the door frame far more effectively than currently available locksiby transferring racking forces through an anti-rack element, as opposed to transferring such loads throughvthe locking elements and connecting bars of the locks. Thus, in effect, the racking forces between the door and door frame are absorbed by the anti-rack elements of the instant door lock, thereby relieving the locking tongues and connecting bars from the racking forces. In other words, the locking function of the lock is segregated from the anti-rack function.

An improved door lock in accordance with the instant invention comprises a lock frame that is rigidly mounted on the door panel having a central bore therein for journaling of the connecting bar. A locking element or tongue extends radially outwardly from the connecting bar for engagement with a box-like element on a keeper fixture. Cooperation between the locking and keeper elements cam the door to the closed condition and retain the door in said closed condition. A separate anti-rack element extends downwardly from the lock frame for engagement in a complementary detent in the keeper fixture. Thus, the racking forces between the door and door frame are absorbed by the anti-rack element, thereby relieving the locking elements and connecting bars from racking loads.

Accordingly, one object of the instant invention is an improved door lock.

Another object of the instant invention is a door lock that segregates closing forces operative thereon from the racking forces to which the lock is subjected.

Another object is a door lock wherein racking forces between the door and frame are absorbed by a rigid antirack element on the door that is engageable with a complementary element on a keeper fixture on the door frame.

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Another object of the instant invention is a door lock aligned locks by a connecting bar for the door locks.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention will'be apparent in the following specification, claims and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a rear view of a van-type vehicle having the improved door locks of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view taken within the circle 2 of FIGURE 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 2.

As best seen in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a plurality of improved door locks 10, in accordance with an exemplary constructed embodiment of the instant invention are shown operatively associated with the rear door panels 12 and.14 and door. frame 16 of a van-type trailer 18. The doors 12 and 14 and door frame 16 of the trailer 18 are conventional in construction, as'is a wheel suspension 20 therefor. A pair of connecting bars 22 and 24 connect vertically aligned pairs of the locks 10 and have handles 26 and 28 thereon'to facilitate rotation of the locking elements of the locks 10, as will be described.

The door locks 10 are of like construction except that they are of left and right hand orientation. Accordingly,

only one of the door locks 10 will be described herein after.

As best seen in FIG. .2 of the drawings, each lock 10 comprises a frame 30 made of, for example, cast steel, having a vertical bore 40therein for the acceptance of a connecting bar extension shaft 42. The shaft 42 is secured, to for example, the connecting bar 24 as by a torque-transmitting strap 44 (FIGURE 1).

The frame'portion 30 of the lock 10 is secured to the door 14 as'by a plurality of bolts 50 (FIG. 2) which extend'through complementary apertures (not shown) in the door 14.

A lower end portion 52 of the connecting bar shaft 42 is provided with a radailly extendinglocking tongue 60 having radially outwardly convergent upper and lower surfaces 62 and 64, respectively, for acceptance within a box-like tongue keeper element 66 on a keeper fixture 68. The tongue keeper element 66 has tapered surfaces 70 and 72 complementary to the surfaces 62 and 64 on the tongue 60.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the tongue keeper element 66 is of arcuate horizontal cross-sectional configuration on an inner surface 76 thereof to effect a camming action with a complementary curved surface 78 on the locking tongue 60. The keeper fixture 68 is secured to the door frame 16 as by a pair of machine screws 79 and 80. As the door 14 is swung toward the closed position with respect to the frame 16, an outer end portion 82 of the locking tongue 60 engages the arcuate surface 76 on the outer section of the tongue keeper element 66. Subsequent rotation of the connecting bar 24, shaft 42 and locking tongue 60 cams the door 14 to the closed condition with respect to the door frame 16.

In accordance with the instant invention, the lock frame 30 is provided with an integral downwardly depending portion that is of box-like construction and has a generally V-shaped anti-rack element 102 on the lower end that is engageable in a complementary V-shaped anti-rack keeper element 104 on the keeper fixture 68. The V-shaped configuration of the anti-rack keeper element 104 is defined by a pair of fingers 106 and 108 on the keeper fixture 68. As the door 14, and therefore the lock frame 30 and anti-rack element 102 rotate towards the closed position with respect to the door frame 16, the anti-rack element 102 is engaged between the fingers 106 and 108 of the anti-rack keeper element 104, positioning the door 14 vertically with respect to the frame 16 and precluding subsequent vertical movement therebetween.

It should be apparent that, because the anti-rack element 102 and anti-rack keeper element 104 on the lock frame 30 and door frame 16, respectively, absorb vertical shear forces between the door 14 and frame 16, the tongue 60 and locking bar 24 connecting the vertically aligned pair of locks are not subjected to vertical loads upon the tendency of the door 14 to move vertically relative tothe frame 16. In other words, the locking tongue 60 is utilized solely for a closing and locking function, whereas the anti-rack element 102 and keeper 104 provide an antirack function.

From the foregoing description, it should be apparent that the only elements subjected to vertical loading are the anti-rack element 102 and keeper element 104, which cooperate to sustain vertical shear forces between the door 14 and frame 16. Accordingly, the locking tongue 60 and locking bar 24 can, in effect, float relative to the frame 30 of the lock 10, thereby eliminating the deleterious wear and flexure.

It is to be understood that the specific construction of the improved door lock herein disclosed and described is presented for the purpose of explanation and illustration and is not intended to indicate limits of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved anti-rack door lock for trucks, trailers and the like having a door rotatable with respect to a door frame, said lock comprising a lock frame rigidly attached to the vehicle door having an integral anti-rack element with an inwardly convergent generally V-shaped cross section,

a keeper fixture rigidly attached to the door frame having an integral locking element keeper and an integral antirack element keeper having an outwardly divergent V-shaped vertical section complementary to said anti-rack element for the reception thereof, and

a locking element supported for rotation by the lock frame on the vehicle door and rotatable between a locked condition and an unlocked condition, said locking element being engageable with the locking element keeper on said keeper fixture to cam the door to a locked condition and retain the door in the locked condition, the anti-rack element of said lock frame being engageable with the antirack keeper element of said keeper fixture to absorb racking forces having a vector generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the door relative to the door frame.

2. An improved anti-rack door lock for trucks, trailers and the like having a door rotatable with respect to a door frame, said lock comprising a lock frame rigidly attached to the vehicle door having an integral generally inwardly convergent V-shaped anti-rack element depending downwardly from said door and vertically aligned with the door frame,

a one piece keeper fixture rigidly attached to the door frame having a locking element keeper and an anti-rack element keeper with an outwawardly divergent vertical cross section complementary to the anti-rack element on said lock frame for the acceptance thereof, and

a locking element supported by the lock frame on the vehicle door and movable between a locked condition and an unlocked condition, said locking element being engageable with the locking element keeper on said keeper fixture to retain the door in the locked condition, the anti-rack element of said lock frame being engageable with the anti-rack keeper element of said keeper fixture to absorb racking forces having a vector generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the door relative to the door frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,635,920 Belvin July 12, 1927 2,301,444 Olander Nov. 10, 1942 2,861,830 Bennett Nov. 25, 1958 3,045,295 Beauchamp July 24, 1962 

1. AN IMPROVED ANTI-RACK DOOR LOCK FOR TRUCKS, TRAILERS AND THE LIKE HAVING A DOOR ROTATABLE WITH RESPECT TO A DOOR FRAME, SAID LOCK COMPRISING A LOCK FRAME RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE DOOR HAVING AN INTEGRAL ANTI-RACK ELEMENT WITH AN INWARDLY CONVERGENT GENERALLY V-SHAPED CROSS SECTION, A KEEPER FIXTURE RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO THE DOOR FRAME HAVING AN INTEGRAL LOCKING ELEMENT KEEPER AND AN INTEGRAL ANTIRACK ELEMENT KEEPER HAVING AN OUTWARDLY DIVERGENT V-SHAPED VERTICAL SECTION COMPLEMENTARY TO SAID ANTI-RACK ELEMENT FOR THE RECEPTION THEREOF, AND A LOCKING ELEMENT SUPPORTED FOR ROTATION BY THE LOCK FRAME ON THE VEHICLE DOOR AND ROTATABLE BETWEEN A LOCKED CONDITION AND AN UNLOCKED CONDITION, SAID LOCKING ELEMENT BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH THE LOCKING ELEMENT KEEPER ON SAID KEEPER FIXTURE TO CAM THE DOOR TO A LOCKED CONDITION AND RETAIN THE DOOR IN THE LOCKED CONDITION, THE ANTI-RACK ELEMENT OF SAID LOCK FRAME BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH THE ANTIRACK KEEPER ELEMENT OF SAID KEEPER FIXTURE TO ABSORB RACKING FORCES HAVING A VECTOR GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE DOOR RELATIVE TO THE DOOR FRAME. 